Why You Need a Pickle For Your Presentations

Yes, you need a clicker

In meeting and event-speak, a "pickle" is a handheld remote that allows a presenter to manually advance slides at his own pace without being tied to a laptop's keyboard while onstage. 

Why is it called a pickle? I have no idea.

For more elaborate presentations, this remote often just cues an offstage operator to advance the slides (sometimes you just can't trust those CEOs...)

But it doesn't matter whether you're presenting to one person or to 10,000. Unless your presentation is scripted, memorized and you've rehearsed endlessly with your operator, you should be using a handheld remote, or a pickle. Yes, Steve Jobs uses one.

It allows you freedom of movement on stage (or even around the conference table). It allows you to be natural and not hunched over your keyboard. It allows things to seem less "PowerPoint-y." But most important, it allows the presentation to be more about YOU and it allows you to focus on your audience and to make more eye contact. 

Additionally, it just makes it look like you've got your act together and know your material. 

There are numerous handheld remotes on the market, but my favorite is Logitech's Presenter, available from Amazon for about $45. 

Though it's a little large than I'd like, it stores the USB transmitter (which you plug into the computer) within the remote, so you don't have two pieces to lose. Plus, it includes a timer and a laser pointer all in one. And it uses RF, so you don't need line of site to your computer. But please, don't point the thing like a gun at the screen or anywhere else. A soft click is all that's needed to advance your slides.

And if you want to see a cool "magic" presentation, take a look at this short video. Notice something in his left hand...?